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Все книги издательства IngramPolitical Ideals - The Original Classic Edition
This is a high quality book of the original classic edition. <p> This is a freshly published edition of this culturally important work, which is now, at last, again available to you. <p> Enjoy this classic work. These few paragraphs distill the contents and give you a quick look inside: <p> Those who realize the harm that can be done to others by any use of force against them, and the worthlessness of the goods that can be acquired by force, will be very full of respect for the liberty of others; they will not try to bind them or fetter them; they will be slow to judge and swift to sympathize; they will treat every human being with a kind of tenderness, because the principle of good in him is at once fragile and infinitely precious. <p> …Few men can succeed in being creative rather than possessive in a world which is wholly built on competition, where the great majority would fall into utter destitution if they became careless as to the acquisition of material goods, where honor and power and respect are given to wealth rather than to wisdom, where the law embodies and consecrates the injustice of those who have toward those who have not. <p> …In place of them we need a system which will hold in cheek mens predatory impulses, and will diminish the economic injustice that allows some to be rich in idleness while others are poor in spite of unremitting labor; but above all we need a system which will destroy the tyranny of the employer, by making men at the same time secure against destitution and able to find scope for individual initiative in the control of the industry by which they live. <p> …So long as it was necessary to the bare subsistence of the human race that most men should work very long hours for a pittance, so long no civilization was possible except an aristocratic one; if there were to be men with sufficient leisure for any mental life, there had to be others who were sacrificed for the good of the few. <p> …For these reasons, those who aim at an economic reconstruction which is not likely to be completed to-morrow must, if they are to have any hope of success, be able to approach their goal by degrees, through measures which are of some use in themselves, even if they should not ultimately lead to the desired end.
Why Lincoln Laughed - The Original Classic Edition
Abraham Lincoln wrote to his law partner, William Henry Herndon, that ?the physical side of Niagara Falls is really a very small part of that world?s wonder. Its power to excite reflection and emotion is its great charm.? That statement might fittingly be applied to Lincoln himself. One who lived in his time, and who has read the thousand books they say have been written about him in the half century since his death, may still be dissatisfied with every description of his personality and with every analysis of his character. He was human, and yet in some mysterious degree superhuman. Nothing in philosophy, magic, superstition, or religion furnishes a satisfactory explanation to the thoughtful devotee for the inspiration he gave out or for the transfiguring glow which at times seemed to illumine his homely frame and awkward gestures. <p> The libraries are stocked with books about Lincoln, written by historians, poets, statesmen, relatives, and political associates. Why cumber the shelf with another sketch? <p> The answer to that reasonable question is in the expressed hope that great thinkers and sincere humanitarians may not give up the task of attempting to set before the people the true Lincoln. One turns away from every volume, saying, ?I am not yet acquainted with that great man.? Hence, books like this simple tale may help to keep the attention of readers and writers upon this powerful character until at last some clear and satisfactory portrayal may be had by the interested readers among all nations. <p> Neither bronze nor canvas nor marble can give the true image. Perhaps the more exact the portrait or statue in respect to his physical appearance the less it will exhibit the real personality. All pictures of Abraham Lincoln fail to represent the man as he was. The appearance and the reality are at irreconcilable variance. <p> Heredity may be a large factor in the making of some great men, and education may be the chief cause for the influence of other great men. But there are only a few great characters in whose lives both of those advantages are lost to sight in the view of their achievements. <p> Genius is often defined with complacent assurance as the ability and disposition to do hard work. That is frequently the truth; but it is not always the truth. Abraham Lincoln did much of many kinds of hard work, but that does not account for his extraordinary genius. He had the least to boast of in his family inheritance. His school education was of the most meager kind, and he had more than his share of hard luck. His most difficult task was to overcome his awkward manners and ungainly physique. His life, therefore, [Pg x]presents a problem worthy the attention of philanthropic scientists. <p> Can he be successfully imitated? Why did his laugh vibrate so far, and why was his humor so inimitable? If the suggestions made in this book will aid the investigator in finding an answer to these questions it will justify the venturesomeness of this volume in appearing upon the shelf with such a great company of the works of greater authors.
The Mysteries of Udolpho - The Original Classic Edition
I fear I dont have the words to fully explain just how important, enjoyable, and breath-taking this novel is to me; The Mysteries of Udolpho is simply one of the greatest written works ever produced. While this is a Gothic novel, arguably the greatest Gothic novel ever written, it is so much more than that. Gothic denotes dark castles, spectral haunts, dastardly deeds performed by cruel, mysterious men–certainly these elements are here. However, a large portion of this novel is simply beautiful–no one I know of has ever described the simple grandeur of life and nature or waxed more poetically on the noble merits of love and honor as does Ann Radcliffe. <p> Emily is one of the most memorable characters in all of fiction. To be frank, I simply fell in love with her. Through her, I was able to not only see but to better appreciate life itself and the simple beauties it manifests. When she was hurt or pained, I shared her sorrow; many times, I felt compelled to jump up and somehow defend her against the monstrous injustices inflicted upon her. I admired her morality and deep commitment to honor, a commitment so deep that she sacrificed in deference to it her own deep love for Valancourt, a love so deep that it alone allowed her to withstand the horrors of Count Montoni and the castle of Udolpho. Certainly, Emily is very sensitive and overdramatic, and she does tend to faint a lot, but she is a pure angel to someone like myself who is a Victorian at heart. <p> I wish I could mention all of the wonderful characters and all of the scenes and events, both beautiful and horrific, to be found in these pages. These were times when I literally had to put one hand across the page to keep from jumping ahead to see what was about to happen. I do want to stress the beauty and romance of the novel because these aspects are overshadowed by the perception people have of Gothic literature. The story of Emily and Valancourt is one of the greatest love stories in literature. Future readers, please dont pick the novel up until such a time as you are truly committed to reading it; it is rather long, and this is not a novel you will want to lay aside for several days at a time. Also, the first 100 pages or so are somewhat hard to get through. Radcliffe paints a living portrait of nature in these pages, describing more details than I could ever even hope to witness. You wont encounter the Gothic horror you may be expecting until you get rather deeply into the story, so keep that in mind. Approach this novel as you would a work of art because that is exactly what it is.
Rainbow Valley - The Original Classic Edition
I really think the only reason not to find Rainbow Valley one of L. M. Montgomerys better novels in the Anne series is because it obviously has the least to do with Anne or her children. Once Anne finally married Gilbert in Annes House of Dreams (1917), Montgomery seemed to be at a loss as what to do with her delightful red-headed orphan now that she was a mother. So when this book was written in 1919 she focused on the four Meredith children who beloned to new Presbyterian minister, John Meredith, who was a widower. I can certainly see where some readers would be less than pleased with this particular direction, but the scene near the end of the novel where little Una Meredith communes with her late mothers wedding dress before going off to get her father a wife is as touching as anything Montgomery ever wrote. <p> To be clear, Rainbow Valley is the fifth of the original six Anne books written by Montgomery, which ended in 1920 with Rilla of Ingleside. It would not be until 1936 that she would write Anne of Windy Poplars, which became the fourth book in the series and took us back to when Anne was engaged to Gilbert and waiting for him to finish medical school. In 1939 she wrote her final novel, Anne of Ingleside, which is the least of the Anne books, taking place before Rainbow Valley and engaging in some heavy handed foreshadowing as to what would happen to her characters. This 1919 book is dedicated: To the memory of Goldwin Lapp, Robert Brookes and Morley Shier who made the supreme sacrifice that the happy valleys of their home land might be kept sacred from the ravage of the invader. So clearly Montgomery was thinking of the next book she would write, that would take place during the First World War. <p> At this point in time Anne Shirley has been married to Gilbert Blythe for 15 years and is now the mother of six children: James (called Jem), Walter, Nan, Diana (Di), Shirley, and Marilla (Rilla). The Mrs. and the Doctor return home to Four Winds Harbor from a trip to Europe and discover the new minister and his four children: Jerry, Faith, Una and Carl. Without a mother and a father given over to deams, the manse children tend to run a bit wild. However, it seems that when they try to do their very best, it occasions the most local gossip, and the children are worried they will cost their father his job. Of course the Meredith and Blythe children become good friends, and the manswe children have Annes stamp of approval, which is good enough for us. Two major plots in the novel involve Mary Vance, an orphan girl who finds an unexpected home and continues to cause trouble for all concerned, and Rosemary West, a young woman who John Meredith falls for but whose sister Ellen does not want to be alone and causes romantic complications that Una needs to iron out in the end. <p> All in all, Rainbow Valley reminds me more of The Story Girl and The Golden Road than any of the other Anne books, with the Meredith children having a series of humorous misadventures. I am also impressed because as you can tell from the ending when Walter Blythe speaks of The Piper, that Montgomery is already committed to writing about what happens to these children during World War I in her next Anne book, Rilla of Ingleside. <p> Even though it is atypical Rainbow Valley is my second favorite book in the Anne series. Highly recommended.
The Mysterious Stranger and Other Stories - The Original Classic Edition
This volume spans the length of Mark Twains career, and contains some of his most famous shorter works, which all centre on the subject of Money. The Celebrated jumping frog of Calaveras County is the most perfect tall tale in the English language, three flawless pages about Jim Smiley and the bizarre sidelines he would investigate to win a bet, any bet, written in a miraculous mid-19th century California vernacular. If that isnt enough, Twain tops it with the best closing paragraph of any work I have ever read ever. <p> The $1,000,000 Bank note is almost surreal, or Marxist, the story of a derelict made an unwitting guinea pig by two elderly millionaires, curious to see what would happen to an honest but poor man in the possession of such an impractible note. The frightening fetishistic power of currency structures a somewhat creepily benevolent narrative, and the opening paragraphs audaciously cram a novels worth of misfortune. <p> I have taught this book at the college level for a few years now; it definitely sheds Twains unfortunate Americana image, and it reveals the darker genius of this beloved author. Twains greatest work, The Mysterious Stranger will enrage fundamentalist Christians, several of whom have dropped my course because of this novella. <p> Asking people to think about what is real, what is behind existence, though, is no crime and should be inoffensive. Young people who are harmed by systematic thinking will react to this book like people being deprogrammed from a cult: they will hate it. But Twain, who was in anguish when he wrote this, had the honesty to ask difficult questions. <p> Read The Mysterious Stranger as a guide to Twains futuristic thinking, his tribute to the mind above all other things.
The Mysteries of Free Masonry - The Original Classic Edition
William Morgan was ultimately murdered by Freemasons after publishing this book. Interestingly, after his death his wife became a plural wife of Mormonisms founder, Joseph Smith. This is the straight account of the rituals of Freemasonry, with no spin. Highly recommended. <p> This book represents a great historical artifact of the anti-masonic movement of the 19th Century. While supposed detailed descriptions of Masonic ritual abound on the internet today, at the time this tell-all book was meant to shock a nation where many influential politicians belonged to the Masonic Fraternity. William Morgan paid a high price for publishing this book after being turned away from membership in a Masonic Lodge. His infamous murder sparked not only an anti-masonic movement, but also an anti-masonic political party. <p> This book is not about some secret conspiracy to run the World, as some say is the Masonic purpose. <p> Instead, it is a detailed description of the meeting rituals and qualifications to join and advance in the Masonic orders. What is revealed is a religious (primarily Protestant Christian) fraternity whose secretism comes from the times of the Crusades when being a Christian could be a death sentence. <p> It is a book that should satisfy those with curiosity about The Masonic orders.
Death At The Excelsior And Other Stories - The Original Classic Edition
Death At The Excelsior is a highly recommended introduction into the world of Wodehouse; a first-time reader may, like most of us, become quickly addicted to Wodehouse and further explore the richly humorous world of this marvelous author. Longtime admirers will, of course, return frequently to these miniature gems. <p> This fabulous Collection Of Early Wodehouse Writings is a must have. Contents: Death At The Excelsior [1914], Misunderstood [1910], The Best Sauce [1911], Jeeves And The Chump Cyril [1918], Jeeves In The Springtime [1921], Concealed Art [1915], The Test Case [1915]
The Mysterious Island - The Original Classic Edition
Everyone is familiar with Around the World in 80 Days and 20,000 Leagues. For some reason, The Mysterious Island is not read as widely. Yet, in my opinion, it is Vernes best and most rewarding novel. <p> I really recommend reading this book. It starts off slowly, and there were times in the middle of the book that I began to get overwhelmed by the complex descriptions that Verne offers about how this band of Civil War escapees manage their life on a strange island. Verne goes into such depth that the reader can actually tell that Verne probably spent many hours in his own contemplation about what he would do if he were stranded on an island. And let me be the first to say that if I were stranded on an island I would want Jules Verne right beside me. <p> His knowledge of the subject went further than you would expect it to and considering that the book was written in the 1870s. The type of information that was possessed by the characters given by Verne surpasses what most people would know today. It wasnt too far after being stranded that the band of men were making pottery, iron and planning to make guns. At one point they even knew to take small whale bones and hunt with them. These are things that are lost in todays world of luxury. <p> I think the beauty of the story lies in its ability to transport you to this other place and time. As I read the book I felt as if I was back in the 1800s trying to survive and thinking as I read, what would I do? It is an excellent book that could be read by young and old alike.
The History of the Peloponnesian War - The Original Classic Edition
History of the Peloponnesian War is, superficially, merely an account of a war that happened centuries ago, the Peloponnesian War, between Athenas and Sparta. Of course, you might think that the subject is trivial to you. After all, how important can a book like that be?. Well, if you were to think that, you would be enormously mistaken. <p> To start with, this book is a milestone you need to be aware of. Thucydides, its author, is very possibly the first modern historian. He tried to explain the causes of the Peloponnesian War, without reducing its complexity by saying that the gods had motivated it. Thucydides doesnt follow the easy path; instead, he searches those causes in human nature, and in power. He doesnt weave tales, but tries to write History. <p> It is rather astonishing how objective this Athenian was when he analyzed the war, and all that happened immediately before it. He examines methodically many events, paying special attention to facts. The author also gives his opinion from time to time, but he doesnt judge whether an action is good or evil: he merely shows that those that have power can use it as they see fit. Due to that, Thucydides is called by many the first realist theoretician. I was especially taken aback by how well he expresses his ideas regarding the fact that power makes right in the Melian debate. I dont agree with him, but I cannot deny that he makes a powerful case, and that his point of view is shared nowadays by many noteworthy thinkers. <p> It is important to point out that in History of the Peloponnesian War you will find a painstaking account of many things that actually happened, but also some speeches that werent made by the actors, but could have been made by them. To explain that more clearly: Thucydides wrote some political dialogues and monologues that allow us to understand some aspects of the conflict (and many of his ideas) better. The introduction to this edition also highlights that the author sometimes made up some of the speeches (from the data he had), and was present when others were pronounced. My favorite speech is the one made by Pericles, in honor of the men who died during the war. In that discourse, he explains why those men fought and died to defend Athens, and what Athens meant not only for Athenians but also for Greece. <p> This book isnt easy to read, but it is well-worth the effort. The translation is quite good, so that will make your task a little easier. If you dont feel like reading this book all at once, try to read it little by little. The results will be the same, but you wont feel dismayed by the need of finishing it immediately. <p> Also, if you can, try to relate some of Thucydides themes to our modern world. You will find that easier that you might think, and it will make you pay more attention to what you are reading. You are likely to be very surprised, for example, at how similar some of nowadays justifications for taking advantage of power without paying attention to justice are to those that Thucydides already made a long time ago. On the whole, I highly recommend this book.
The Prisoner of Zenda - The Original Classic Edition
Ive long been a fan of Errol Flynn swashbucklers and the classic works of prolific (and unjustly forgotten) Rafael Sabatini, but if you want the greatest swashbuckler novel of them all, Anthony Hopes The Prisoner of Zenda is a classic youll come back to again and again: over a hundred years after being written, its still as sharp as a rapier point. <p> The Prisoner of Zenda is something of a rarity: a Victorian adventure novel that is as fresh and entertaining to read in this modern jaded age as it was in 1894. If youve ever seen one of the many movie adaptations you already know the story: Rudolf Rassendyll, an Englishman vacationing in the tiny European country of Ruritania, meets and befriends the soon-to-be-crowned King Rudolf–his exact and identical double. <p> When the King is kidnapped by the dastardly Black Michael, Rassendyll must impersonate the King in the coronation ceremony…and in the heart of the Queen. Hopes handling of the romance between Rassendyll and Queen Flavia is both a daring and romantic love story and a subtle examination of the meaning of honor and duty to a gentleman. Of course theres plenty of swordplay and derring-do along the way. If Tom Clancy was writing this one, thered be nuclear weapons instead of swords and email instead of telegrams, but even he couldnt pull off the simple but subtle romantic story and the triumphant but poignant ending. <p> Like Rudolf of Ruritania, Anthony Hope is a king…of adventure novels. Unlike Rudolf, he has no equal.